


"It's You"

by bluesquare



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Cinderella Elements, F/M, Fluff, Henvie, fairy tale AU, mildly angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-03
Packaged: 2018-05-17 22:57:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5888473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesquare/pseuds/bluesquare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loosely based on Disney's live action Cinderella. </p><p>Evie is a possible heir to throne. However, the other possible candidate for the throne, a man named Crawford Starrick, has put the vote of the council in a deadlock. </p><p>Thus, in order to secure her position Evie must marry someone of influence in order to advance her claim and beat out Starrick in his own game for power. </p><p>The complication however is that she finds herself falling (or already fallen for) a curious young man in the woods…..</p>
            </blockquote>





	"It's You"

In an unusual twist of irony, the advice of Jacob looped in and over her mind for the past hour. The words playing over and over, as she waved and smiled from her spot on the ‘royal balcony’ over god knows how many dignitaries, princes, lords, and emperors from maker knows where. 

_Remember what father used to say? Don’t let your personal feelings get in the way of the mission._

Evie sighed. Or as much as she can, anyway. There were too may people watching. Too many eyes that are eager for the chance to rid her and her brother for good. They were the upstarts. The firebrands in a kingdom of Templars – the only Assassins brave (or foolish as their old mentor George Westhouse would say) to directly challenge the throne, no matter how legitimate their claim is. 

While it had been Jacob who had suggested the plan – to go directly to the capital and whittle away their defences from there – Evie had to admit that this was now her fight as much as his. 

This was for her father and the order he stood for. 

If there was any way she could honour his legacy, victory over the men who had robbed him of his place seemed like a good place to start. Too long has the Templar reign gone, robbing the people it swore to protect, and Evie would be damned if she didn’t at least _try_ to make things right _._

And so, the pressure of her succeeding tonight was thick and tangible in the air. The expectations set upon her clung to her very pores – slick and prickling. This was for the mission. A lot of people were counting on her to succeed tonight and damn her if she didn’t. 

After all, she herself did not broker failure. 

“Sorry I’m late, _dear_ sister,” Jacob said as he took his place beside her, drawing Evie out of her thoughts, “how fares the evening?”

Evie merely scrunched her nose at him in reply. His dress uniform was creased and haphazardly put on. His hair, which if Evie had to guess, used to be combed and slicked…until someone’s hand had threaded through the dark strands. His cheeks were a little too flushed and his lips… _Jacob Frye, you dog._

“Ah Jacob. Just wonderful. Me holding the fort, and greeting dignitaries and the like is _so_ much fun _._ I’m betting it’s more fun than you and Nigel  _snogging_.” 

Jacob cheekily grinned back. “I thought you liked Nigel.”

“Oh honestly!”

“What?”

“This isn’t the time. Not when the mission is—”

“And you making the excuse for a ball to be opened to everyone in order to find what’s his name – Greenie? – isn’t jeopardizing anything?”

“That’s…that’s completely different. And I’m doing this for the people.” 

“Of course you are.”

Silence then settled between the two of them. Both of them continued to wave and greet politely – or as politely as Jacob could manage anyway – before the last of the guests had taken their place in the ballroom. As the page began to wrap up the introductions, Evie then turned to her brother. Worry began to etch onto her face, as she fiddled with the skirt of her gown. 

“Jacob. Answer me truthfully.”

Jacob then quirked a brow at his sister, completely unaccustomed to seeing Evie so uncertain. Hesitant, at times, sure. But never so unsure and….vulnerable. 

“Evie, what’s the matter?”

“What if…what if I fail? What if I make the wrong decision tonight?”

“You mean, what if you let your feelings get in the way?”

“One way to put it, I suppose.” 

“Bloody hell Evie. I don’t have an answer for that…save that we will get through this like we always have.”

“Jacob…”

“Oh don’t Jacob me. Look. I’ve never been a fan of this whole ‘marriage for an alliance’ sort of deal – and I’m still surprised you decided for it – but listen to me. Any bloke that you decide on is a lucky man, and if you decide on Greenie then….you have my support.”

“I…thank you.”

“Now, if your husband turns out to be a arsehole…”

Evie had to stifle a chuckle, “Oh don’t worry. We’ll take him down.”

OOOO

 

Henry straightened his collar for the nth time. All he had to do was open the doors, and yet, here he was staring at the handle. It wasn’t so much as hesitancy or fear – though admittedly he could feel his nerves surging through his veins – but rather awe. He couldn’t believe that they had pulled it off. 

 _Uncle, Abberline, you miracle workers_ , he thought to himself. He wasn’t expecting his Uncle, Duleep Singh, to come to his rescue, or Abberline (rather Frederick) helping pull it off. Whatever the reasons, he was glad for their assistance. Of all the tales he’s heard, they would’ve been his “fairy godfathers” in this scenario.

From his usual rough cotton work clothes, he was now dressed in a fine silk  _sherwani._ The embroidery around the collar was gold, stretching and curling downwards until the the hem of his shirt, taking the form of an elaborate tree. The fine filigree of the leaves was strewn across his shoulders and his chest, with the cuffs matching in design. Draped over his shoulders was a rich emerald green _duppatta –_ which also had been embroidered with golden tulips –contrasting nicely with the pristine ivory of his attire. 

And to his greatest amazement…they had given him a pair of crystal glass shoes. While they were comfortable, he had to wonder where on earth did they find a pair (much more why they’d have one in the first place). 

Taking a deep breath, Henry steeled himself as his grip around the handles tightened. If his information was good – which it always was – then Miss Frye was not the courier she claimed she was. No. She was the heir to the throne and by some weird twisted sense of luck, they had fallen for each other. 

Or at least he had hoped she felt as strongly as he did. 

And that scared him. 

He was a bastard prince – if he could even claim the title – with no real prospects. No money, no power, no wealth. All he had was a flimsy blood connection and even then, he had been banished by his own father. 

What could he possibly offer her other than his heart? 

Evie needed things he could not give. And yet…hope bubbled deep within him, hoping that he was enough. What they had was real. 

_No. It is real._

Wasting no more time, he opened the doors. 

OOOO

 

Somehow, despite the announcement of the last lord, the doors had swung open. Whispers and murmurs of people began to buzz around the room. Even Starrick, despite his usual unflappability, seemed thrown off by the arrival. The stranger was a handsome young man, dressed as how a young prince (perhaps the youngest of a royal house) might be. 

 _Genteel and mannered_ , thought the crowd, _but who was he?_

The mysterious prince smiled as he slowly made his way down. If he felt like all eyes of the court were on him, it didn’t show. His dark eyes were searching…searching for a familiar face, it would seem. And in the middle of his descent, he caught it. A brilliant set of steel blue eyes met his and his smile only widened as he continued down the flight of stairs. 

Jacob whistled lowly. A lazy smirk started to form on his handsome face, amused by the turn of events. Tonight would be an interesting night it seemed

“If I had to bet, I’d say that would be Greenie?” 

As he turned to tease his sister even more, he found that she was already gone. 

OOOO

 

Evie bustled through the crowd, muttering curses to her dress if it didn’t cooperate. Her heart thundered in her ears as the image of Henry smiling at her from the steps began to loop in her mind. 

_He’s here._

_He’s here._

_He’s here._

A lump lodged itself in her throat. Maybe…maybe she could have this happiness. Henry was apparently no scholar as he claimed. But even if he was…Evie knew that she could not lie to herself. She chose Henry. And she will always choose him. No matter what the roads lead to, she knew that she’d walk that path with him by her side. 

Love did not make her weak.

If anything, it made her all the more resolved. Taking a glance at Starrick – who seemed to purple at Henry’s arrival – she had to defeat him all the more. For both their sakes. 

Turning her glance back at the steps, she began to slow down as the familiar pair of brown eyes bore into her. As she drew closer to him, she could feel her breath hitch. 

She found herself stopping, as if her feelings had frozen her in place. He was there. If Evie took another step, a part of her feared that maybe she might wake up. 

But she didn’t have to. 

Henry had made his way towards her, bowing as he drew close enough to see the freckles that smattered her cheeks, or the exact length of her lashes. 

“It’s you,” he breathed.

“Yes. It’s me.” 

He then gazed upon her – something that normally wouldn’t have made her so conscious – before shooting her knowing glance. 

“Tulips, I see,” he said, remarking on the embroidery of her own gown. Evie’s eyes flitted to his stole, eying the similar pattern. She then smiled back at him, wanting to laugh at the gesture. The meaning wasn’t lost on either of them.

“Mr. Green–”

“Henry, if you please.”

“Henry then,” Evie corrected herself, before she finally curtsied, signalling the start of the ball, “may I have this dance?” 

“For you, Evie, certainly.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> On about me: I've gotten an internship! HUZZAH! This is why I've been a little MIA on writing lately, but things are settling down and I'm finally able to set some time off for myself. 
> 
> I’m still working on the next chapter of Baby’s Breath, and so, to help get me in the groove again, I'm answering two asks sent to me ages ago. Basically 2 anons asked if I could do Henvie in formal wear and replicating (sort of) that scene in the live action Cinderella where Cinderella meets Kit in the ball. Except, this anon wanted Evie in Kit's shoes and Henry in Cindy's and so :)) 
> 
> If you guys have any questions/comments/suggestions/just to talk, you can find me at my tumblr: squarelyblue.tumblr.com


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